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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pound — a weight
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — boats
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — a price
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a music group
  17. craft — a skill
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. charge — in control
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com